Food Network, Moore College and Apple are on our radar screen today, for tech news with a Philly twist.

Eat Better, Locally: "Food Network - On the Road" launched today as a free app for iPhone and iPad. Using the device's GPS for location, the app quickly summons up recommended dining places (including food trucks!) and dishes of merit available just a short walk or ride away. From our new Market St. office location, we were urged first to visit Delilah's at the Reading Terminal Market for the award winning Mac and Cheese. Too bad the place closed in March! Also in the (relative) hood was Good Dog Bar and Restaurant at 224 S. 15th St. as featured on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives. Users can also find and save food spots to visit based on chefs, style and other locales. You're supplied with addresses, phone numbers, directions, ratings reviews and those ever popular food porn glamour photos.

Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em?: Apple has been unable to convince the HBOs and ESPNs of the world that their channels should be made available a-la-carte (bought one at a time) on an Apple TV device. So now Apple's going to the middlemen - cable giants starting with Philadelphia based Comcast and Time Warner - to try and persuade them to allow cable channel tuning capability on a newfangled Apple TV set or set-top box, reported the Wall Street Journal this morning. Of course the same gizmo would also go to the iTunes store and other internet sites. ironically, Apple's arch rival Samsung has shown prototype "Smart TV" sets at CES the past two Januarys that could do just that - eliminating the need for a separate set top box in each location. In a whole house video set up, that makes for an attractive and economical proposition for a cable or satellite TV provider. (Samsung prototype sets working with Comcast, Xfinity and DirecTV services have all been shown.) But Samsung demonstrates a lot of sexy stuff before the tech is fine tuned for public consumption - this being a (still unfulfilled) case in point. Will the foxy Apple now beat Samsung to the punch. luring the big chickens of cable land into their den? Uh, wouldn't count on it.

Moore Art Projects: Apple's much less controversial deal with Philadelphia's Moore College of Art will be consumated this weekend, when each new BFA student is given and trained on an Apple iPad pre-populated with apps to support the visual art and design education. "We are proud to be the first art and design college to partner with Apple to provide iPad devices to all new BFA students," said Moore President Happy Craven Fernandez. As part of the new Foundation curriculum, Moore students will deploy the iPad as a sketchbook and portfolio, as well as a camera for both still and moving images. Apps also allow students to develop ideas, concepts and produce finished work in the design, drawing and color classes.